How to remove weeds between paving tiles

on Oct 11, 2026

in Gardening, Building Materials & DIY

How to remove weeds between paving tiles

A patio or garden path only looks really tidy when the joints are clean. Yet every spring and autumn grass, moss and dandelions pop up between the slabs again. Removing weeds between paving tiles is a job you can easily do yourself. It mainly takes some patience, the right tools and a good posture, so that your back and knees can keep going. This blog explains step by step how to tackle it, without chemicals, and how to stop the weeds from coming back within a few weeks.

👷 Calling in a professional is never superfluous. Are the slabs loose, is the patio sinking or does the water no longer drain away? Then the problem goes deeper than the weeds. A paving contractor or landscaper can relay the paving and finish the joints properly.

Why do weeds grow between tiles?

Weeds need very little: a bit of soil, moisture and light. Over time, sand, leaves, dust and organic material collect in the joints between paving slabs. Seeds blown in by the wind or brought by birds germinate there. Especially in places that stay damp for a long time, in the shade and along walls, moss and grass grow quickly. The wider and deeper the joint, the more room for roots.

What do you need?

A weed puller to lift dandelions and other weeds with a tap root out in one piece.
A hand hoe or a hand cultivator to loosen weeds in wide joints.
A long-handled hoe for larger areas, so you do not have to do everything bent over.
A narrow trowel to work in narrow corners and along edges.
A wire brush for moss and thin roots in narrow joints.
A street broom with long bristles or a garden brush with long handle to sweep away loose material, and a metal dustpan with a 12-litre bucket to carry it off.
Optionally a pressure washer to clean the patio afterwards.
A kneeling pad or knee pads for working on your knees.
PPE: see below.

Working safely

Weeding seems a quiet job, but you spend a long time bent over or on your knees and work with sharp edges and a wire brush. So protect yourself well:

Gloves: garden gloves with latex coating give grip and protect against grazes. For thistles and nettles or work with the wire brush, leather garden gloves are a good choice. You can read more about garden gloves in our blog on gardening gloves and tools.
Safety glasses: wear safety goggles when working with the wire brush or the pressure washer. Sand, grit and dirt can splash into your eyes.
Knees: use a kneeling pad or knee pads. Change position regularly and stand up now and then.
Hearing: a pressure washer is loud; earplugs keep the noise down.

⚠️ Only use a pressure washer on an outdoor socket that is suitable for outdoor use and keep the cable and plug dry. If you are unsure about the socket or the connection, have it checked by a certified installer.

You can find more general tips on working safely in our blog on safe working on the construction site.

Step by step: removing weeds between tiles

Choose the right moment. Work in dry weather, a day after a shower. The soil in the joints is then slightly softer, so roots come loose more easily, but it is not muddy.
Sweep the patio first. Remove leaves and loose sand with the street broom with long bristles. That way you can see better where the weeds are.
Take out the large plants. Push the weed puller into the joint at an angle next to the plant and lever the plant up, root and all. If you leave the root behind, the plant simply grows back.
Clear the joints. Pull the hand hoe or the tip of the narrow trowel through the joint. Work in strips of about a metre so you keep an overview.
Brush away moss and remnants. Use the wire brush in narrow joints. Brush along the length of the joint to spare the edges of the slabs.
Sweep and clear up. Sweep everything together with the garden brush with long handle and scoop it with the metal dustpan into a bucket or onto the compost heap (without plants carrying seed).
Top up the joints. Are the joints empty or deeper after cleaning? Sweep them full again with clean jointing sand. A full joint leaves less room for new weeds.

Path of grey concrete paving slabs with grass and weeds in every joint alongside a wooden house

With a pressure washer?

A pressure washer gets slabs nice and clean and flushes loose material out of the joints. But keep in mind:

Spray at an angle and not straight into the joint, otherwise you also blast out all the jointing sand.
Keep your distance on soft or old slabs; a jet that is too hard can damage the surface.
Refill the joints with jointing sand afterwards, because empty joints become overgrown extra quickly.
Do not work towards windows, doors or people, and wear glasses and hearing protection.

Without weedkiller: why and how?

Chemical weedkillers wash off the paving into the sewer and surface water when it rains. We therefore advise against them. Fortunately there are good alternatives:

Mechanical weeding with the weed puller, hoe and wire brush, as described above.
Hot water on young plants: carefully pour boiling water from the kettle over the weeds. Work slowly, wear closed shoes and keep children and pets at a distance.
Regular sweeping: if you sweep the patio every week, you remove many seeds before they can germinate.

Preventing weeds

Sweep the patio regularly and remove leaves in autumn. You can read tips on getting the garden ready for the cold months in our blog on getting your garden ready for winter.
Weed a little often, instead of everything once a year. Small plants come out easily.
Top up joints with jointing sand as soon as they empty.
Make sure rainwater can drain away properly. Where water stays on the surface, moss and algae get more of a chance.
Also take a look at our guide to Stalco Garden tools for tools that make maintenance lighter.

When do you call a professional?

When slabs are loose, tilting or have sunk.
When puddles remain on the patio or path after rain.
When tree roots push up the paving.
When you want a large area jointed with a solid jointing mortar.

In those cases a paving contractor or landscaper is never superfluous: a properly laid base with the right drainage prevents a lot of maintenance.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I remove weeds between tiles?

That depends on the spot. In the shade and in damp places, a quick weed and sweep every few weeks during the growing season is easiest. On sunny, dry patios a few times a year is often enough.

Is cleaning with a pressure washer enough?

It mainly flushes away leaf remains and loose sand. Plants with deep roots are better removed with a weed puller. Refill the joints after spraying.

May I use salt or vinegar?

Preferably not. Salt and vinegar end up in the soil and water and can damage plants in the border, the jointing and some types of natural stone. Mechanical weeding is the safest choice.